How to Avoid Weight-Gain When Going Vegan

You might think that losing weight is a guaranteed bonus of starting a vegan diet, but this should not be the main reason why you do it - especially because if your mind-set is not in the right place, it could backfire on you!

Here are some food mistakes to avoid so you don’t pack on the pounds.

1. Don’t Rely on Bread

When you take animal products out of the eating plan equation, you might at first be left wondering what you’re going to eat, especially if such foods have formed a huge part of your diet. But relying on bread can be bad news for your health and figure because of the carb overload. Rather switch it for natural produce as much as you can and plan your day's snacks ahead of time to prevent you from reaching for whatever's available.

2. Eat Protein

Protein foods are satisfying and keep you going, which prevents from you snacking on breads or sweet things when you feel you have nothing else to eat. Top up on beans, tofu, nut butters, lentils and tempeh.

3. Avoid Processed Vegan Foods

Sometimes spotting the 'vegan' label on foods is enough to make you toss them into your trolley out of pure excitement, but always read the fine-print on the ingredients list to see what you're really purchasing. If the vegan meats or cookies are processed, you really don’t want to eat these foods more than once or twice a week. Moderation is still important, even on a vegan diet.

4. Make Veggies Interesting

Eating your veggies doesn’t have to be boring. There are many ways you can add zing to them! Toss them into various meals - roast them, fry them (not every day!), add them to pastas to make your meals more satisfying, and be creative with salads. Throw in veggies, beans, nuts or make a delicious summer salad with fruits. Going vegan is the perfect opportunity to start seeing just how healthy and satisfying vegetables can be, so be up for the challenge... And, your waistline will thank you. *Image courtesy Flickr Creative Commons